Barcelona controlled first half but stalled against Levante: Raphinha double assist, Yamal shines

At the Ciutat de València stadium last night, Barcelona started like a whirlwind in every sense. Within 13 minutes, they led 2-0, with Raphinha providing two assists and Lamine Yamal scoring his fifth goal of the campaign. But after the second goal, Hansi Flick's side shifted into game-management mode amid a double matchday, allowing Levante to grow into the half. The game became stuck, with the hosts generating small but unsettling approaches against Barcelona's defense. As I have observed over 12 years in football analysis, dominant teams often lose control not because they are worse, but because they decided they had already won in the first half. The second half will determine whether Flick's side learned that lesson.